[Introduced February 19, 2013; referred to the
Committee on Energy, Industry and Labor, Economic
Development and Small Business then the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new article, designated §22-30-1, §22-30-2,
§22-30-3 and §22-30-4; and to amend said code by adding
thereto a new article, designated §22-31-1, §22-31-2, §22-31-3
and §22-31-4, all relating to creating the "Intrastate Coal
and Use Act" and the "Intrastate Oil and Natural Gas and Use
Act"; establishing that the environmental regulation of coal
and certain coal products mined and used within the state are
exclusively regulated by the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection; establishing that the environmental
regulation of oil and natural gas produced and used within the
state is exclusively regulated by the West Virginia Department
of Environmental Protection; stating the legislative
authority; and defining terms. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §22-30-1, §22-30-2,
§22-30-3 and §22-30-4; and to amend said code by adding thereto a
new article, designated §22-31-1, §22-31-2, §22-31-3 and §22-31-4
,
all to read as follows:ARTICLE 30. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION OF COAL MINED AND USED WITHIN
__THE STATE.§22-30-1. Short title.
_____This article may be cited as the "Intrastate Coal and Use
Act."§22-30-2.Authority.
__The Legislature declares that the authority for this article
is as follows:
__(1) The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
guarantees to the states and their people all powers not granted to
the federal government elsewhere in the Constitution and reserves
to the state and people of West Virginia certain powers as they
were understood at the time that West Virginia was admitted to
statehood in 1863. The guaranty of those powers is a matter of
contract between the state and people of West Virginia and the
United States as of the time that the compact with the United
States was agreed upon and adopted by West Virginia and the United
States in 1863.
__(2) The Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees to the people rights not granted in the Constitution and
reserves to the people of West Virginia certain rights as they were
understood at the time that West Virginia was admitted to statehood
in 1863. The guaranty of those rights is a matter of contract
between the state and people of West Virginia and the United States
as of the time that the compact with the United States was agreed
upon and adopted by West Virginia and the United States in 1863.
__(3) Section two, Article I of the West Virginia Constitution,
states: "The government of the United States is a government of
enumerated powers, and all powers not delegated to it, nor
inhibited to the states, are reserved to the states or to the
people thereof." Specifically enumerated among those "powers so
reserved to the states is the exclusive regulation of their own
internal government and police; and it is the high and solemn duty
of the several departments of government, created by this
Constitution, to guard and protect the people of this state from
all encroachments upon the rights so reserved."
__(4) The regulation of intrastate commerce, including the
natural environment as affected by intrastate business, is vested
in the states under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the United
States Constitution and is specifically retained by the State of
West Virginia according to Section 2, Article I of the West
Virginia Constitution.§22-30-3.Definitions.
__As used in this article, the following definitions apply:
__(1) "Borders of West Virginia" means the boundaries of the
State of West Virginia described in Section 1, Article II of the
West Virginia Constitution.
__(2) The term "coal mine" means those operations removing coal
from a coal seam or seams, whether aboveground or underground.
__(3) "Chemically altered coal product" means any product
derived principally from coal, including, but not limited to, coke
or liquid fuels derived from coal by any process.§22-30-4.Requirements.
__(a) In light of the above findings, environmental regulation
in West Virginia for all purposes of regulating business activity
performed in West Virginia, when the products of such business
activities are held, maintained, or retained within the borders of
West Virginia, is the principal responsibility of the West Virginia
Department of Environmental Protection.
__(b) Any West Virginia coal mine producing coal which is used
commercially or privately in West Virginia and which is consumed or
otherwise remains within the borders of West Virginia and any West
Virginia facility producing chemically altered coal products used
commercially or privately in West Virginia which remain within the
borders of West Virginia shall be issued a permit to operate by the
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection once the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has certified that the mine or facility is compliant with all applicable state and
federal laws or state and federal regulation._____
__(c) A sample from each vein of coal in a mine and a sample of
coal from each West Virginia source used at a facility producing a
chemically altered coal product shall be placed on record with the
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to verify the
West Virginia origin of the coal produced and used.
__(d) The Legislature declares that the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, acting under the color of
authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce, lacks the
authority to deny permits of operation to such coal mines and
facilities as the products of these mines and facilities have not
traveled in interstate commerce.
__(e) This article applies to coal and to any chemically altered
coal product mined or produced in West Virginia from basic
materials which can be manufactured without the inclusion of any
significant components imported from another state.
__(f) This article applies only to the issuance of a permit of
operation to a coal mine or facility producing chemically altered
coal products, the issuance of which permit is required by the
Clean Water Act or by another equivalent state or federal statute
or regulation. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit
the effect of any other state or federal statute or regulation.ARTICLE 31. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS ____PRODUCED AND USED WITHIN THE STATE.§22-31-1. Short title.
__This article may be cited as the "Intrastate Oil and Natural
Gas and Use Act."§22-31-2.Authority.
__The Legislature declares that the authority for this article
is as follows:
__(1) The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
guarantees to the states and their people all powers not granted to
the federal government elsewhere in the Constitution and reserves
to the state and people of West Virginia certain powers as they
were understood at the time that West Virginia was admitted to
statehood in 1863. The guaranty of those powers is a matter of
contract between the state and people of West Virginia and the
United States as of the time that the compact with the United
States was agreed upon and adopted by West Virginia and the United
States in 1863.
__(2) The Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution
guarantees to the people rights not granted in the Constitution and
reserves to the people of West Virginia certain rights as they were
understood at the time that West Virginia was admitted to statehood
in 1863. The guaranty of those rights is a matter of contract
between the state and people of West Virginia and the United States
as of the time that the compact with the United States was agreed upon and adopted by West Virginia and the United States in 1863.
__(3) Section two, Article I of the West Virginia Constitution,
states: "The government of the United States is a government of
enumerated powers, and all powers not delegated to it, nor
inhibited to the states, are reserved to the states or to the
people thereof." Specifically enumerated among those "powers so
reserved to the states is the exclusive regulation of their own
internal government and police; and it is the high and solemn duty
of the several departments of government, created by this
Constitution, to guard and protect the people of this state from
all encroachments upon the rights so reserved."
__(4) The regulation of intrastate commerce, including the
natural environment as affected by intrastate business, is vested
in the states under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the United
States Constitution and is specifically retained by the State of
West Virginia according to Section 2, Article I of the West
Virginia Constitution.§22-31-3.Definitions.
__As used in this article, the following definitions apply:
__(1) "Borders of West Virginia" means the boundaries of the
State of West Virginia described in Section 1, Article II of the
West Virginia Constitution.
__(2) The term "gas well" means those operations and facilities
producing natural gas from the substrata of real property.
__(3) The term "oil well" means those operations and facilities
producing oil from the substrata of real property.§22-31-4.Requirements.
__(a) In light of the above findings, environmental regulation
in West Virginia for all purposes of regulating business activity
performed in West Virginia, when the products of such business
activities are held, maintained, or retained within the borders of
West Virginia, is the principal responsibility of the West Virginia
Department of Environmental Protection.
__(b) Any West Virginia oil or gas well producing oil or natural
gas which is used commercially or privately in West Virginia and
which is consumed or otherwise remains within the borders of West
Virginia shall be issued a permit to operate by the West Virginia
Department of Environmental Protection once the West Virginia
Department of Environmental Protection has certified that the oil
or gas well and any associated facilities are compliant with all
applicable state and federal laws or state and federal regulation.
__(c) The Legislature declares that the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, acting under the color of
authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce, lacks the
authority to deny permits of operation to these oil and gas wells
and facilities as the products of these wells and facilities have
not traveled in interstate commerce.
__(d) This article applies to oil and natural gas produced in West Virginia.
__(e) This article applies only to the issuance of a permit of
operation to an oil or gas well, the issuance of which permit is
required by the Clean Water Act or by another equivalent state or
federal statute or regulation. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to limit the effect of any other state or federal statute
or regulation.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Intrastate
Coal and Use Act establishing that the environmental regulation of
coal. The bill also creates the Intrastate Oil and Natural Gas and
Use Act establishing that the environmental regulation of oil and
natural gas produced and used within the state is exclusively
regulated by the West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection. The bill establishes that the environmental regulation
of coal, certain coal products, oil and gas mined or produced and
used within the state are exclusively regulated by the West
Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The bill states
the legislative authority and defines terms.

These articles are new; therefore, they have been completely
underscored.